RoboCar ZMP gets an upgrade or Knight Rider is now a Smart Car

by Mark R

It has been about six months since we reported on the RoboCar MEV from ZMP. At the time, it was a little robot head on a car frame that came off as cute.

Clearly, the Robocar MEV has grown up a little, and looks more like a real car! Well, a Smart Car, at least. It is definitely following the Knight Rider model as it is self driving! Since it is electric, it is a gentler, more eco-conscious KITT.

So how does it drive on its own? It uses GPS as well as front and rear sensors. According to my Source, it sounds like you can actually buy one now. What? A self-driving car that isn’t some concept car for a future date? Check the prices out after the jump. By the way, check out the video as well. You might want to mute the music, as it is really bad rip-off of the James Bond theme.

The simplest version, Type A, is about $35,000, and it only has speed control. Type B is at $59,000 and has steering control as well as speed. As for type C, it has automatic braking control as well as imaging and inertial sensors for a price of $84,000.

All of these are available in about two months, in Japan. I’m not certain what use you will find for them. Something tells me we are still far away from the era of the every-car-is-an-automated-limo.